SUNRISE, Fla. -- Boston Bruins forward David Backes will have a disciplinary hearing after he was given a match penalty and ejected during a 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers for his hit from behind on the Vincent Trocheck at 17:56 of the first period Thursday night at BB&T Center. Backes could face his second suspension this month.
The play was in the neutral zone when Backes made contact with Trocheck, knocking him to the ice near the Bruins' bench. Panthers' Mike Matheson quickly jumped in and dropped the gloves with Backes, who was given a match penalty for the hit.
Rule 21.1 states: A match penalty involves the suspension of a player for the balance of the game and the offender shall be ordered to the dressing room immediately. A match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent in any manner.
Backes returned to the lineup on Tuesday after serving a three-game suspension for his hit on Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen on March 6 at TD Garden.
Pregame notes.
Both Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk will be sidelined for the next two games with upper-body injuries, according to coach Bruce Cassidy. Also, Torey Krug will be a game-time decision. All three suffered injuries during Tuesday's 6-4 win against the Hurricanes in Carolina.
Krug participated in the team's morning skate at BB&T Center, but Chara and DeBrusk did not skate. Chara was seen outside the locker room in his workout clothes. Cassidy made it a point to mention that these are actual injuries and not a situation where he's trying to rest players down the stretch, especially Chara.
"I know there's a lot of talk about resting him, but those are decisions that would be made going forward once we get closer to the end of the year, or once our (playoff) positioning might be a little more settled," Cassidy said. "He's injured. He's out and won't play tonight, or Saturday and we'll see in Boston how he's responding and go from there."
Cassidy doesn't believe Chara's injury will be a long-term situation. He fell awkwardly and slammed into the end wall during the third period.
"Once he gets further evaluated then we may get bad news, but that's kind of the initial reaction right now," added Cassidy.
DeBrusk also fell awkwardly into the corner boards midway through the second period and was clearly shaken up on the play. Surprisingly, he didn't miss a shift until early in the third period when he left the game and did not return. Krug said on his last shift of Tuesday's game he was skating up ice when he felt something that didn't feel right.
"It was something that I couldn't deal with that night, and even at times yesterday," Krug said after the morning skate. "It's a lot better today."
Due to the injuries, and since the team is on the road, forward Anton Blidh and defenseman Paul Postma were recalled from Providence on an emergency basis. If Krug can't play then Postma will be inserted into the lineup. With DeBrusk out, Danton Heinen will move up to the second line with David Krejci and Rick Nash. That trio finished Tuesday's game strong and Heinen provided the game-tying goal in the third period.
Since Heinen moves up, Tommy Wingels will play on the third line with David Backes in the middle and Brian Gionta on the right. On the back end, Adam McQuaid returns to the lineup.
"He's ready to go and champing at the bit, so it'll be good for him," Cassidy said.
Masked Men: Anton Khudobin will start for the Bruins against the Panthers, which means Tuukka Rask will get the nod against the conference-leading Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Khudobin is 15-5-4 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in 26 games this season. He's 3-1-0 with a 2.25 GAA and a .938 SP in four career games against the Panthers. James Reimer is starting for the Panthers.
On the verge: The Panthers enter tonight's game having won 15 of their last 20 games with a 15-4-1 record in that span. The Panthers currently stand four points away from the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference.
Home-ice advantage: The Panthers have won 10 of their last 12 home games with a 10-2-0 record. The Bruins, however, are outstanding on the road with a 19-9-4 mark.
Point-producer: Aleksander Barkov enters tonight's game with 15 points over his last 10 games. Barkov is one point shy from becoming the first Panther in a decade to post 70 points in a season since Olli Jokinen produced 71 points in 2007-08.
Local Iron Man: Panthers defenseman, and Boston native, Keith Yandle owns the NHL's longest active consecutive games played streak with 700. He enters tonight's game with six goals and 40 assists for 46 points this season.
Observations from the first period.
- Former Bruin Frank Vatrano called for goalie interference after he levels Khudobin.
- Bruins going with the delayed entry on this power play. You should know by now how I feel about that play.
- I like how there was no call on that play as Tim Schaller losses an edge and takes out Reimer.
- I have no idea why Kevan Miller was going for his stick behind the net, leaving the front open as the Panthers score for a 1-0 lead. Aaron Ekblad with his 14th goal of the season at 6:25.
- Panthers take a 2-0 lead on Nick Bugstad's 16th of the season. Another defensive breakdown by the Bruins.
- Bobby Orr's in the house. Maybe he'll sign a one-game contract and play tonight.
- Bruins on the doorstep the last couple of shifts but can't finish.
- This is the type of game that a goal by the fourth line would help the Bruins turn the corner here.
- Krejci's line getting a lot of ice time, so it's time for Rick Nash to produce a big boy shift.
- Backes with a hit on Vincent Trocheck and teammate Mike Matheson jumps in and drops the gloves with Backes.
- Backes gets a match penalty for the hit and he's done for the night. He could be looking at his second suspension this month.
- Rule 21.1 states: A match penalty involves the suspension of a player for the balance of the game and the offender shall be ordered to the dressing room immediately. A match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent in any manner.
- Due to the match penalty, it's an automatic disciplinary hearing for Backes.
- Gionta down the tunnel after getting hit in the face. Looks more like an equipment issue.
- Catching up here after updating Backes. Schaller is playing with Krejci and Heinen.
- Panthers doing a solid job blocking shots in this game.
- A rare turnover for Grzelcyk.
- Krejci is so good at finding the open man.
- Rick Nash going off for goalie interference.
- Holden's reach is so effectively, especially on the penalty kill.
- Trocheck's power-play goal gives the Panthers a 3-0 lead with 5:53 remaining in the second period. It's his 27th of the season.
- Marchand's puck management a bit off this evening. Down three goals he's gotta shoot more.
- Pretty cool to see Orr and Chara sitting next to each other in the press box and talking shop.
- Another dramatic comeback for the Bruins?
- Bruins get a power play and Rick Nash with a nifty move in front and nearly scores.
- Reimer is playing well tonight.
- If the Panthers reached the playoffs they'll be a dangerous team. Playing well at the right time.
- Pastrnak's getting the puck on net from all different angles this period. Trying to make something happen.
- Outstanding all-around effort by Heinen on that last play and is nearly rewarded for his efforts.
- With 10:30 remaining in regulation, the Bruins remain scoreless. If this holds, it will be the second time this season the Bruins have gone without a goal. The first time was the second game of the season on Oct. 9 in a 4-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
- Krug on the receiving end of a hit in the corner by Trocheck. Krug appears shaken up.
- Reimer finished with 46 saves for his third shutout of the season.